Curriculum
Our curriculum is a strength of the school, rooted in our values of Belong, Aspire and Succeed. It is designed with clarity, ambition, and coherence, ensuring every young person develops the knowledge, skills and character needed to thrive in school, in their community and in the wider world.
We provide a curriculum that is broad, balanced and academically ambitious, enabling all students, including those who are disadvantaged or have SEND, to access high quality learning and achieve well. The curriculum is carefully sequenced so that knowledge builds securely over time, allowing students to develop deep understanding within subjects and make meaningful connections across them.
Central to our curriculum are the essential life skills of literacy, numeracy, and oracy. These skills are embedded across all subjects, ensuring students become confident communicators, fluent readers and secure mathematicians who can access and apply knowledge effectively.
Our curriculum is underpinned by high expectations and strong support. Teachers use well‑designed learning journeys, knowledge booklets and assessment strategies to ensure students know more, remember more, and can do more over time. This consistent approach enables students to think deeply, develop independence and build resilience.
Alongside academic learning, our Personal Development Curriculum is a significant strength. It ensures students gain a secure understanding of:
- British Values
- Cultural Capital
- Relationships Education
- Health and Wellbeing, including online safety
- Living in the Wider World
These experiences help students to find their voice and become respectful, informed, and responsible citizens who can contribute positively to a diverse society.
Students leave us with strong qualifications, secure subject knowledge, and the confidence to challenge injustice respectfully, appreciate different perspectives and keep themselves safe and healthy. They develop character, curiosity and a love of learning that prepares them exceptionally well for future education, employment, and adult life.
High‑quality teaching, meaningful relationships and a rich programme of enrichment ensure that every student’s experience is engaging, inspiring and memorable. Staff and trustees share a commitment to high expectations, strong support and partnership with families and the community, ensuring every young person has the opportunity to flourish.
Aims
Through our curriculum we aim to:
- Develop strong literacy, numeracy and oracy
- Provide a broad, balanced and ambitious education for all
- Build deep knowledge and understanding across subjects
- Foster curiosity, creativity, resilience and independence
- Equip students with the cultural, social and emotional skills needed to contribute positively to society
- Embed the values of Belong, Aspire and Achieve
- Prepare students effectively for next steps in education, employment and adult life
Structure
Key Stage 3
In Years 7–9, students follow a broad and ambitious curriculum that builds strong foundations for future learning. Each subject has a clearly mapped Learning Journey, supported by Knowledge Booklets that secure key knowledge, vocabulary and retrieval practice. Literacy, numeracy and oracy are embedded into all subjects.
Personal Development is woven throughout KS3, ensuring students develop confidence, respect for others and an understanding of how to lead safe, healthy and happy lives.
Key Stage 4
In Years 10–11, students study a combination of core subjects and chosen examination courses. Curriculum plans are built directly from exam board specifications and sequenced to ensure students gain the knowledge and skills required for success.
Unit Overview Sheets provide clarity on content, assessment and progression. Students continue with Personal Development and benefit from strong careers education, employer engagement and workplace experiences.
Enrichment
Our enrichment programme is a strength of the school. Students access a wide range of opportunities to broaden their experiences including sport, performing arts, leadership, clubs, educational visits, residentials and community projects. These experiences build confidence, teamwork, leadership and cultural capital.
A strong careers programme with employer engagement and meaningful experiences of the workplace ensures students make informed and ambitious choices about their futures, ready to belong in their community, aspire to ambitious futures and succeed in achieving their full potential.
Curriculum-Gallery (ID 1098)
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STEAM
STEAM
The STEAM curriculum develops students’ mathematical, scientific, mechanical, computing, artistic skills. Our projects allow students to demonstrate accuracy and precision using state of the art computing suites, workshops and laboratories. The STEAM curriculum builds core knowledge and skills in computing, graphic design, design technology and engineering. All students will leave with a clear understanding of the career pathways from STEAM through our close links with industry partners and extension enrichment offer
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Creative Arts
Creative Arts
Our Creative Arts Curriculum encourages creativity and collaboration. We create an environment where students can thrive across Music, Drama, Media, Dance, Art, Textiles and Photography. The faculty develops teamwork, self-expression, curiosity and encourages exploration across a diverse range of disciplines. Students develop confidence, independence and communication skills for life beyond the classroom. Through hands-on experiences and exposure to both contemporary and historical practices, pupils are inspired by dynamic starting points and real-world practitioners
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Personal Development
Personal Development
Our timetable allows us to develop and strengthen the delivery of our personal development curriculum with a dedicated time each day for students in their timetable. We have strong character development programmes through LifeSkills, Careers, SMSC, and Extra-Curricular provision. In Period 4 we read together and follow our Learn to Learn programme to develop understanding and strategies to help us grow as learners. We develop confidence in Finding our Voice alongside having weekly aspirational assemblies.
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English
English
Students explore a wide range of voices—from local to global, past to present—to build empathy and understanding. Our engaging curriculum encourages deep thinking, debate and independence through reading and writing. Creativity is at the heart of helping students reach their full potential and find their voice.
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MFL - French & Spanish
MFL - French & Spanish
It is through language we truly travel outside ourselves and our curriculum is the language itself, built meaningfully over time. MFL lessons focus on the seven skills needed to become an expert in language learning: speaking, listening, reading, writing, memorisation, translation and grammar. Our aim to build student confidence and resilience with a particular focus on phonics and developing their confidence in taking risks with their speaking. We want to them to become creative risk-takers who feel confident in class and in the wider world. We aim to plant the seed of language that can grow into fluency in later life.
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Humanities
Humanities
Humanities encompasses RE, History and Geography in which they explore human culture, values, beliefs and the physical world around them. Students will discover the importance of considering many different perspectives including their own, and appreciate how points of view and opinions change depending on where you live and over time. Learners develop empathy, and become respectful of different beliefs and customs. Students will learn how to use and question a range of evidence, form an argument and justify with subject specific examples.
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Mathematics
Mathematics
Our Maths lessons are designed so students experience success creating confident learners who are able to problem solve. Students develop a deep understanding of mathematical knowledge and skills. At its heart lies a strong foundation of numeracy, from which all topics are developed, to help students build on prior learning and move towards mastery.
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Science
Science
In Science, we are committed to fostering a passion for science and developing curious students who are confident in making evidence-based decisions for themselves. We encourage students to challenge and question the world around them using the scientific methods, theories and concepts. Students build reliable knowledge through experimentation and rigorous analysis.
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Able
Able
Our Penryn Aspire programme begins with quality-first teaching in every classroom, encouraging deeper thinking across all units of work. Students benefit from enrichment opportunities such as Medics Academy, academic trips to Oxford and Cambridge, and the Penryn Futures programme focused on Post-16 and further education pathways. Our elite Performance Sport Programme supports excellence in athletic development alongside academic growth. Period 4 sessions also broaden students' oracy, critical thinking and global awareness through engagement with worldwide topics.
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SEND
SEND
Penryn College are committed to removing barriers to learning so that every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We work with students, parents and external agencies collectively to ensure that all students attending Penryn College are able to consistently attend school, while feeling safe and supported. Our vision is that every learner makes personal progress, with equal opportunities to all aspects of College life. Through collaboration, tailored support, and a culture of high expectations, we empower students to reach their full potential and celebrate their unique strengths.
